2017 Detroit Lions Season Win Total Picks
2016 Record: 9-7
2017 Las Vegas Season Win Total: 8.5
2017 Season Win Total Prediction: 'Under'
How the Lions perform this season will likely come down to two things: how the much-maligned offensive line holds up and how their linebackers perform. But how you feel about the Lions heading into this season really comes down to one thing: how you think of quarterback Matt Stafford.
Where is Stafford on the spectrum of NFL quarterbacks? This guy has thrown for 27,000 yards over the last six seasons. He has a 41-touchdown, 5,000-yard season to his name. He's completed 64.2 percent of his passes the last three years with 78 touchdowns to 35 interceptions. And perhaps most impressive, Stafford has dragged the Lions - a team that went 0-16 the year before he was drafted - to the postseason three times in six years.
However, Stafford doesn't seem to garner the same level of respect that second-tier quarterbacks like Joe Flacco, Eli Manning or Carson Palmer get. This despite the fact that he has to do more with less while shackled with one of the worst franchises in sports.
Can Stafford lead this team back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time in nearly 20 seasons? A lot of that will be out of his control. The Lions still don't run the ball well, and the offensive line, which has three new starters, is a big question mark. Detroit hasn't finished in the top half of the league in total defense since losing Ndamukong Suh two years ago. And the Lions have gone .500 (16-16) in the past two seasons despite the fact that they've been outgained and outscored in that time period.
I feel that as long as Stafford is at the trigger the Lions won't revert back to the total bottom-feeders that they were through the aughts. But they've also been extremely erratic over the past decade and usually victims of natural regression after their, dare I say, 'lucky' playoff appearances. Detroit went 6-2 last year in games decided by three points or less or overtime. I have a feeling they won't be that fortunate this season, and it will result in the Lions reverting back to their usual below-.500 form.
Lions Regular Season Schedule (All times Eastern)
Week |
Date |
Kickoff (ET) |
Opponent |
1 |
10-Sep |
1:00 p.m. |
Arizona Cardinals |
2 |
18-Sep |
8:30 p.m. |
at New York Giants |
3 |
24-Sep |
1:00 p.m. |
Atlanta Falcons |
4 |
1-Oct |
1:00 p.m. |
at Minnesota Vikings |
5 |
8-Oct |
1:00 p.m. |
Carolina Panthers |
6 |
15-Oct |
1:00 p.m. |
at New Orleans Saints |
7 |
22-Oct |
|
Bye |
8 |
29-Oct |
8:30 p.m. |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
9 |
6-Nov |
8:30 p.m. |
at Green Bay Packers |
10 |
12-Nov |
1:00 p.m. |
Cleveland Browns |
11 |
19-Nov |
1:00 p.m. |
at Chicago Bears |
12 |
23-Nov |
12:30 p.m. |
Minnesota Vikings |
13 |
3-Dec |
1:00 p.m. |
at Baltimore Ravens |
14 |
10-Dec |
1:00 p.m. |
at Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
15 |
16-Dec |
4:30 p.m. |
Chicago Bears |
16 |
24-Dec |
1:00 p.m. |
at Cincinnati Bengals |
17 |
31-Dec |
1:00 p.m. |
Green Bay Packers |
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